Nov. 22, 2011: President Obama visits a restaurant in Manchester, N.H.Even before the Super Committee convened – and failed to find a formula for reforming entitlements -- Democrats wielded a familiar refrain to reject any Republican effort to save Medicare by offering competition.

"Put simply, it ends Medicare as we know it," President Obama said earlier this year about GOP proposals.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., also blasted Republican plans, and employed the same "end Medicare as we know it" phrase, before going on to say it would subject seniors to the rising costs of health care.

James Kvaal, Obama's campaign policy director, threw the same stone at Mitt Romney, arguing that the Republican presidential candidate's plan to offer both traditional Medicare and access to private plans would end seniors' medical coverage.

But as it turns out, Obama himself sharply limits Medicare spending and Democrats actually voted for it in the new health care law, fundamentally altering the program "as we know it," say analysts.

"President Obama ended it as we know it," said James Capretta of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. "The one thing I don't think the public really understands is that the health care law has already capped Medicare spending and President Obama was the proponent of that cap."

In the new health care law, Medicare is slashed by $500 billion and growth in Medicare spending is capped to just 1 percent over growth in the overall economy.

In an 80-page message addressed to the Super Committee, Obama proposed another $250 billion in Medicare cuts along with lowering the limit on Medicare spending to gross domestic product plus 0.5 percent. He would cap spending at the lower number by reducing reimbursements.

Since Medicare typically grows 2 or 3 points more than GDP plus inflation, or at around 7-9 percent annually, seniors lose ground every year.

"Any time we have an arbitrary cap that's not reachable, where benefits could be harmed, we would be opposed," said David Certner, policy director for American Association of Retired Persons.

Some critics are concerned about how the president will enforce limits. He'd use the Independent Payments Advisory Board, or IPAB, created by the health care law. But it only has one power to hold down spending -- impose price controls on providers.

"If there's a cost that go above the cap, we're going to be stopping care for that year and in essence lead to rationing of care," Certner said. "So we can't have arbitrary caps in the Medicare program."

When doctors, surgeons or those who make knee or hip replacements are simply told they'll be paid significantly less, what will they do? Capretta said he fears the worst.

"Eventually some of the providers of those services will drop out of the market and there will be issues in terms of accessing care," he said. "That's what the Medicare actuary has already predicted will occur under the health care law."

Medical groups say they expect a shortage of some 90,000 doctors by the end of this decade, as 30 million baby boomers have begun to retire, making access to care even tighter.

Democrats resisted cutting Medicare in the now-defunct Super Committee negotiations, but the hospital trust fund will not be able to pay full benefits in 2024. That means far more will have to be done than some are willing to contemplate now if Medicare is to be preserved for future retirees, and if the nation wants to avoid not only 'ending Medicare as we know it,' but avoid ending it altogether

Guest

Guest

"Medical groups say they expect a shortage of some 90,000 doctors by the end of this decade, as 30 million baby boomers have begun to retire, making access to care even tighter"

This and the 20-25 million new clients added in Obamacare will destroy Medicare "as we knew it". Without repeal, it is already done. The object was NOT better, more affordable medical care. Obamacare is intended to completely take over healthcare. Socialized medicine as predicted. They have not told and will never tell the truth about this.

SSC

Read it and weep 'rationing of care' once the cap is met..I think I might have posted before my 80 yr. old neighbor had a double hip replacement , her Dr. told her to get it done quick because with Obamacare that was going to be a thing of the past.

On a Personally note, I am content to live with my hips the way they are. Yes I can still walk around without a crutch but if I need to stand for long periods of time I need a crutch or simply sit down. I'm fine with it. I'm in no pain directly, just a little sore at times. If I wanted a hip replacement I would want insurance to pay most of it, but like I said I can live like this as long as it doesn't get any worst. And it hasn't. In fact its gotten better. How or why I'm not sure. I think its because I stopped drinking Whiskey and switched to beer. lol

You know, I tried to get SS disability and got turned down 4 times. They don't consider that a disability I guess. I really should hire a lawyer to get it done, I know they could do it. I got tired of trying to get it. Its a mess.

SSC

Its a shame Tyler but a lawyer is probably your best bet, most cases I see around here get 3 denials and just before court day they get a letter of acceptance, but they do fire back appeals as fast as the denial letter comes. The lawyers here are limited in what their fees are , It might be worth you looking into it.

Guest

Guest

SSC wrote:Its a shame Tyler but a lawyer is probably your best bet, most cases I see around here get 3 denials and just before court day they get a letter of acceptance, but they do fire back appeals as fast as the denial letter comes. The lawyers here are limited in what their fees are , It might be worth you looking into it.

I agree 100% My case was so apparant, I got approved in 6 months just by writing a coupla letters. But I recommend one of those SSA lawyer specialists everytime. Their fees are indeed limited and they are GOOD.